Chrysanthemum plant named &#39;Smoothie Time&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new variety of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Smoothie Time’, having bright pink single flowers with spoon tips and a green disc. ‘Smoothie Time’ has a medium to tall vigor with a good foliage presentation.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.60/703,342, filed Jul. 28, 2005.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES

Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum morifolium.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

The new Chrysanthemum variety denomination is ‘Smoothie Time’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum botanically known as Chrysanthemum morifolium, andreferred to by the cultivar name ‘Smoothie Time’.

‘Smoothie Time’, identified as 22111-0, originated from a cross made ina controlled breeding program in Chichester, West Sussex, UnitedKingdom. The female parent of the new variety is ‘Stereophonics’, (U.S.Plant Pat. No. 15,535) and the male parent is an undistributed,unpatented seedling identified as 21012-0. The new variety ‘SmoothieTime’ has been asexually reproduced by vegetative cuttings inChichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom and the distinguishingcharacteristics are retained through successive generations of asexualreproduction.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘Smoothie Time’ is a pot type of Chrysanthemum plant variety havingmedium to large striking pink single flowers with spoon tips.

Comparison with Female Parent

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Smoothie Time’ are dissimilarto the female parent ‘Stereophonics’ in plant habit and growth rate. Inside-by-side comparisons in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom,under commercial practice, plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety‘Smoothie Time’ differed from plants of the female parent‘Stereophonics’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. The new variety ‘Smoothie Time’ produces pink single flowers        with a spoon tip whereas the female parent ‘Stereophonics’        produces white single flowers.    -   2. Plants of the new variety ‘Smoothie Time’ have smaller and        shorter inflorescence than plants of the female parent        ‘Stereophonics’.

Comparison with Male Parent

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Smoothie Time’ are dissimilarto the male parent 21012-0 in plant habit and growth rate. Inside-by-side comparisons in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom,under commercial practice, plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety‘Smoothie Time’ differed from plants of the male parent 21012-0 in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. The new variety ‘Smoothie Time’ produces dark pink single        flowers with spoon tips whereas the male parent 21012-0 produces        light pink single flowers with spoon tips.    -   2. Plants of the new variety ‘Smoothie Time’ have larger and        taller inflorescence than plants of the male parent 21012-0.    -   3. Plants of the new variety ‘Smoothie Time’ have a quicker        response than plants of the male parent 21012-0.

Comparison with Abba

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Smoothie Time’ are similar toplants of the variety ‘Abba’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,486) in plant habitand growth rate. However, in side-by-side comparisons in Chichester,West Sussex, United Kingdom, under commercial practice, plants of thenew Chrysanthemum variety ‘Smoothie Time’ differed from plants of ‘Abba’in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. The new variety ‘Smoothie Time’ produces pink single flowers        with spoon tips whereas ‘Abba’ produces dark pink single flowers        with spoon tips.    -   2. Plants of the new variety ‘Smoothie Time’ have larger and        taller inflorescence than plants of ‘Abba’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Typical specimens of the plant and flowers for the new Chrysanthemumvariety ‘Smoothie Time’ are shown in the accompanying digitalphotograph. The colors shown are as true as possible within the usuallimits of this kind of illustration.

FIG. 1 is a whole plant view of the new variety ‘Smoothie Time’ grown ina pot. The plant shown in the illustration is 56 days from the onset ofShort Days.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following description of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘SmoothieTime’ is of plants grown in a greenhouse in Chichester, West Sussex,United Kingdom, in the month of October. The cultivar has not beenobserved under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype mayvary significantly with variations in the environment such astemperature, length of day and light intensity, without any variance ingenotype. The commercial classification of the new variety is a potChrysanthemum.

Plants of the new variety have been grown successfully under temperatureconditions averaging about 19° C. at night and about 17° C. to 25° C.during the day under light conditions of about 2,500 Lux. The plantsrespond well to the use of growth retardant, such as one B9 treatment atabout 2 grams per liter. To produce a commercial product, the plants maybe pinched once with the center bud removed. The typical container sizefor commercial growth is 1 liter. It has been observed that the shelflife of the new variety is about 28 days with a response time of about7.5 weeks. The new variety is suitable for growth in a temperature rangeof 15° C. to 25° C.

The following description is with respect to a plant produced as potChrysanthemum. In the description of this new Chrysanthemum variety,color values have been taken from The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart (R.H.S.C.C.).

-   Plant:-   Plant type: Pot-   Habit: Upright and free branching-   Height (cm): 19-   Width (cm): 26-   Stem:    -   -   Length (cm).—5.5.        -   Diameter (cm).—0.5.        -   Texture.—Slightly pubescent.        -   Color.—138B.-   Branching characteristics: Upright and free branching-   Lateral branches:    -   -   Length (cm).—10.        -   Diameter (cm).—0.4.        -   Texture.—Slightly pubescent.-   Number of breaks from pinch: 6-   Response time: 52 days-   Vigor: Medium/Tall-   Shelf life: 28 days-   Life of blooms: 28 days-   Disease (susceptibility/resistance observed): None observed to date-   Pest (susceptibility/resistance observed): None observed to date-   Drought and temperature (susceptibility/resistance observed): None    observed to date-   Growth retardant type and treatment: 3 applications of 2.5 gm/liter    B9 @ 2, 21 and 28 days after sticking unrooted cuttings. The plants    were grown for two weeks in Long Day conditions (20 hours of light)    and then transferred to Short Day conditions (13 hours of dark).-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Vegetative propagation via stem cuttings.        -   Time to rooting.—14 days with soil temperatures of 18° C.        -   Rooting habit.—After 7 Long Days, the first roots emerge and            form root primordia. In 14 Long Days, a complete root system            is developed.-   Foliage:-   Number of leaves per lateral branch: 10-   Compound or single: Single-   Arrangement of leaves: Alternate    -   -   Shape of leaf.—Typically 5 lobed.        -   Size of leaf.—Width (cm): 5.5 Length (cm): 7.5.        -   Leaf apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Obtuse.        -   Attachment.—Petioled.        -   Aspect.—Slightly undulating.        -   Margin.—Palmately lobed.        -   Surface characteristics.—Top: Slightly pubescent Bottom:            Pubescent.-   Petiole:    -   -   Color.—137C.        -   Length (cm).—2.        -   Diameter (cm).—0.4.        -   Surface.—Slightly pubescent.-   Venation: Net, prominent lateral and mid-veins at underside    -   -   Color.—upper side: 138B under side: 138B.-   Color:    -   -   Mature leaf, upper side.—137C; under side: 138B.        -   Young leaf, upper side.—137B; under side: 138B.-   Flower:-   Flower appearance: Matte-   Flower type: Single with spoon tips-   Flower form: Flat-   Flower shape: Circular-   Flowering habit: Cyme-   Number of blossoms per branch: 5-   Typical and observed flowering season: January to December-   Inflorescence form: Cyme    -   -   Depth of fully expanded blossoms (cm).—1.        -   Diameter of fully expanded blossoms (cm).—7.5.-   Phyllaries:    -   -   Number.—22.        -   Color.—138B.        -   Length (cm).—1.8.        -   Width (cm).—0.2.        -   Texture/appearance.—Slightly pubescent.-   Peduncle:    -   -   Length (cm).—10.        -   Diameter (cm).—0.4.        -   Angle from stem (degrees).—10.        -   Color.—138A.        -   Surface.—Slightly pubescent.        -   Habit.—Slightly undulating.        -   Strength.—Strong.-   Pedicel:    -   -   Length.—terminal (cm): 3.5; lateral (cm): 4.5.        -   Diameter (cm).—0.2.        -   Color.—138A.        -   Surface.—Slightly pubescent.        -   Habit.—Straight.        -   Strength.—Strong.-   Ray florets:    -   -   Form/shape.—Straight with parallel edges to the central mid            vein.        -   Texture/appearance.—Matte.        -   Number per flower.—35.        -   Length (cm).—3 Width of spoon tip (cm): 0.6 Width of corolla            (cm): 0.2.        -   Apex.—Rounded.        -   Base.—Tapered.        -   Margin.—Entire.-   Disc florets:    -   -   Form/shape.—Cylindric.        -   Texture/appearance.—Shiny.        -   Number per flower.—200.        -   Length (cm).—0.6; Width (cm): 0.1.        -   Diameter of disc (cm).—1.5.-   Fragrance: None-   Flower bud (at onset of color):    -   -   Length (cm).—1.        -   Diameter (cm).—1.2.        -   Form/shape.—Globular.-   General flower color:    -   -   1. Ray florets, upper side.—Immature: 68A Mature: 68A            Older/Fading: 68B.        -   2. Ray florets, under side.—Immature: 68A Mature: 68B            Older/Fading: 68B.        -   3. Ray florets, tube, outer side.—68C.        -   4. Disc florets.—Immature: 144B Mature: 145A Older/Fading:            3A.        -   4. Bud.—68A.-   Flower progression with age: There is no change with the flower form    but there is a slight color fading with age.-   Reproductive organs: Gynoecium present on Ray florets.-   Ray florets per individual flower: Pistillate    -   -   Pistil number.—35.        -   Stigma color.—154A.        -   Stigma shape.—Forked.        -   Style color.—154B.        -   Style length (cm).—0.3.-   Androecium present on disc florets only: Staminate    -   -   Stamen number.—150.        -   Anther shape.—Globular.        -   Anther color.—154B.        -   Pollen color.—14B.        -   Pollen quantity.—abundant.-   Fruit and seeds: None observed

1. A new and distinct variety of Chrysanthemum plant, substantially asdescribed and illustrated herein.